(Patriot.Buzz) – Demanding accountability while pouring his heart out in the face of a sad loss, Joe Biden’s State of the Union speech was disrupted by an outburst from a grief-stricken father whose son had tragically lost his life during the chaotic withdrawal of American forces from Afghanistan.
Identified as Steve Nikoui, the man vocally referenced Abbey Gate and the Second Battalion, First Marines, calling attention to his son, Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui, who was killed in the August 2021 Kabul airport suicide bombing.
Capitol Police promptly escorted him out and later charged him with a misdemeanor for causing a disturbance.
Nikoui’s vocal opposition reflects the deep dissatisfaction and unresolved grief harbored by Gold Star families over the Afghanistan withdrawal that critics characterize as botched. Mark Schmitz, another grieving father, predicted opposition to Biden’s address, which underscores a collective yearning for accountability.
Lance Cpl. Jared Schmitz’s father called the withdrawal “a totally epic screw-up,” and added, “There’s been other people that have confirmed that information that Biden knew — damn good and well — that Afghanistan was going to fall.”
The aftermath of the withdrawal has seen Biden’s approval ratings plummet, with federal investigations criticizing the administration’s handling but stopping short of pinpointing responsibility for the tragic loss of American servicemen and servicewomen.
This oversight further exacerbates the families’ quest for answers and accountability, as articulated by Schmitz and supported by Congressman Darrell Issa, who lamented the White House’s indifference toward arranging meetings with the grieving families.
The congressman had words for the families, saying, “That’s why we’re honored to have them here. It’s why we want them in the audience,” and expressed hoped that “by some miracle, [Biden] says something that they feel at least meets them halfway.”
Despite the anticipated criticism Biden’s speech noticeably omitted any mention of the Afghanistan pullout. This oversight, coupled with Nikoui’s arrest, ignited significant social media backlash and highlighted the persistent demand for a thorough investigation and acknowledgment of the withdrawal’s mishandling.
Biden interrupted by Gold Star dad at State of the Union speech
A guest at the State of the Union address was escorted from the gallery after shouting during President Biden's speech. pic.twitter.com/7iyRyJm8Tc— intheMatrixxx (@intheMatrixxx) March 8, 2024
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